(2021-04-22). Putin Condemns 'Regime Change' Attempts in Belarus and Venezuela. orinocotribune.com This Wednesday, April 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave his annual message to the Federal Assembly of Russia in which he condemned the attempts to change governments by force, such as those that occurred in Belarus or Venezuela. | "You can have any opinion about, for example, the former president of Ukraine [Victor] Yanukovych or [President of Venezuela, Nicolás] Maduro (…) have any point of view about the president of Belarus, [Alexandr] Lukashenko, but the practice of organizing coups, plans for political assassinations, including those of high-ranking officials, exceed all limits," Putin said, as rep…
(2021-04-22). Maduro's Administration Present at the Ibero-American Summit: Delcy Rodríguez Asks that Venezuelan Funds Be Unblocked and Responds to Colombia's Duque. orinocotribune.com 
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela participated at the XXVII Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government, which took place in an online conference this Wednesday, April 21. As appropriate, the government of President Nicolás Maduro was represented by its Executive Vice President, Delcy Rodríguez. She gave a brief but forceful speech, adjusted to the regulations that govern speech rights in this international consultative forum. Two important moments are identified in her speech: the first came with the reiteration of the denunciation of the criminal blockade that curtails the fundamental rights of th…
(2021-04-22). US Joins Past Empires In Afghan Graveyard. popularresistance.org An Afghan taxi-driver in Vancouver told one of us a decade ago that this day would come. "We defeated the Persian Empire in the eighteenth century, the British in the nineteenth, the Soviets in the twentieth. Now, with NATO, we're fighting twenty-eight countries, but we'll defeat them, too," said the taxi-driver, surely not a member of the Taliban, but quietly proud of his country's empire-killing credentials. | Now, after nearly twenty years of a war that has been as bloody and futile as all those previous invasions and occupations, the last 3,500 U.S. troops and their NATO brothers-in-arms will be coming home f…
(2021-04-22). Why is AFL-CIO So Worried About Its Vermont Affiliate? counterpunch.org 
Two years ago, a group of local union activists launched a reform campaign, called "Vermont AFL-CIO United!." They were frustrated with their own labor council's lack of militancy and creativity, plus its inability to aid new organizing, contract campaigns, or strikes. In a rare contested election, the Vermont reformers called for greater rank-and-file activism, within AFL-CIO affiliated unions and other Vermont labor organizations which represent state employees and teachers.
(2021-04-22). PDF of April 22 issue. workers.org 
Download the PDF. Spirit of May Day: Fight Back! After Amazon vote: Unionize ALL workers Smash police violence and white supremacy Release Mumia now! Tribute to Ramsey Clark. Anti-choice Bigots thwarted; 'The fire has started' in Alabama; Trans resistance; Editorial: FedEx massacre. GLOBAL: Madawaska Nation; Cuba; Haiti; Syria; Puerto Rico. . . . |
(2021-04-22). Iranian Revolutionary Guards Release Close Drone Footage Of US Aircraft Carrier. southfront.org 
Screen grab from the IRGC footage. | On April 21, the Iranian Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) released close drone footage of a US aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf. | According to Iranian media, the IRGC shared the footage to demonstrate its state-of-the-art advancements in the field of drone technology. The footage was captured by a four-strong drone squadron. The exact type of the drones was not disclosed. | The footage shows the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) aircraft carrier, sailing alongside the USNS Choctaw…
(2021-04-22). Military Situation In Yemen On April 22, 2021 (Map Update). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | The Liaison and Coordination Officers' Operations Room (loyal to Ansar Allah) reported 143 ceasefire violations in al-Hudaydah during the past 24 hours | On April 21, Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted 15 airstrikes on the Sarwah area | On April 21, Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted 4 airstrikes on the Kitaf area | On April 21, Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted an airstrike on the Shada area | On April 22, Ansar Allah attacked King Khalid Airbase with a Qase…
(2021-04-22). Extinction Rebellion activists smash windows of HSBC's London headquarters. thecanary.co 
Climate change activists said they smashed the windows of HSBC's London headquarters over its links to the fossil fuel industry. | Nine women from Extinction Rebellion (XR) and the political party Burning Pink targeted the Canary Wharf building on Thursday morning, using hammers and chisels to break the glass. | They then placed stickers on the windows reading " £80 billion into fossil fuels in the last 5 years" and waited for police to arrive, XR said. | The Metropolitan Police said its officers were called to Canada Square shortly after 7am to reports of protesters causing "criminal damage to a building".
(2021-04-22). Vienna Talks Reveal Biden Team's Attachment to Sanctions that Would Torpedo Iran Deal. orinocotribune.com By Gareth Porter — Apr 18, 2021 | Biden's foreign policy team refuses to relieve Iran from sanctions illegally imposed by the Trump administration, setting the stage for the collapse of negotiations and a major crisis. | The Biden administration signaled once again at the April 9 Vienna meeting on the Iran nuclear deal that it intends to maintain Trump-era Iran sanctions in an effort to win political and military concessions going well beyond the original deal itself. Team Biden continued to insist during the conference that Iran return to full compliance with the nuclear agreement without any reciprocal US…
(2021-04-22). U.S. Joins Past Empires In Afghan Graveyard. zcomm.org President Biden announced a removal of all U.S. troops by September 11, but he failed to include some important details…
(2021-04-22). Opposition grows to revocation of Syrian refugees' residency permits by Denmark. peoplesdispatch.org Activists and human rights groups claim that the Danish government's move to declare parts of Syria safe for the refugees and asking them to return is based on a wrong assessment of the ground realities…
(2021-04-22). 'Pervasive racism' led to failure to commemorate Black and Asian troops. thecanary.co "Pervasive racism" underpinned a failure to properly commemorate potentially hundreds of thousands of predominantly Black and Asian service personnel who died fighting for the British Empire, an investigation has found. | The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) apologised after its investigation found that those individuals were not formally remembered in the same way as their white comrades. | Defence secretary Ben Wallace will give a statement to MPs on the findings on Thursday, when the report is formally published in full.The investigation discovered at least 116,000 predominantly African and Middle Eas…
(2021-04-22). Afghanistan shows we need to continue campaigning against the warmongers. greenleft.org.au The withdrawal of combat troops from Afghanistan is a welcome development. But, as Alex Bainbridge argues, it doesn't mean that the warmongers in Canberra and Washington have been defeated.
(2021-04-22). West Asian countries lead in global execution list, says Amnesty report. peoplesdispatch.org A scathing new report released by international human rights organization Amnesty International has revealed that countries in the Middle East-North Africa (MENA) region carried out the highest number of death penalties in 2020, reported Associated Press yesterday, April 21. The Amnesty report also stated that four countries in the MENA region, Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Iraq, carried out an overwhelming 88% of all known executions worldwide last year. | According to the report, Iran executed 246 people, Egypt 107, Iraq 45, and Saudi Arabia 27, on a wide range of "vague and overly broad terror-related and othe…
(2021-04-22). Who Wags the Dog? Israel's Friends in Washington Mean Constant War in the Middle East. strategic-culture.org Biden, like presidents before him, is caught in the trap between an extremist-dominated Israel and the all-powerful domestic Israel Lobby. | Donald Trump, who was elected President of the United States in 2016, may have won due to voters attracted by his pledge to end many of the "stupid" wars that the American military was involved in worldwide. In the event, however, he ended no wars in spite of several attempts to withdraw from Afghanistan and Syria, and almost started new conflicts with cruise missile attacks and the assassination of an Iranian general. Trump was consistently outmaneuvered by his "experts" on…
(2021-04-22). Iran Installs Advanced Uranium Enrichment Centrifuges in Natanz, Reports Say. sputniknews.com Iran has been partly violating the terms of its nuclear agreement, known as the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) after it was abandoned by the US in 2018. Tehran and the European parties to the deal held negotiations to revive the JCPOA, but Washington has so far refused to remove sanctions from the Iranian economy.
(2021-04-22). Pompeo Touts 'Toughest' GOP Sanctions Bill on Iran Amid Signs of Tentative Progress at Vienna Talks. sputniknews.com Amid ongoing Vienna talks to reactivate the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the Biden administration has been sending indications to Tehran that it may consider reducing punitive sanctions currently targeting Iran, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.
(2021-04-22). Iran nuclear negotiator says Vienna talks 'progressive' despite difficulties. ecns.cn Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Tuesday that the latest round of the talks in Vienna are "progressive" despite "the existing difficulties."
(2021-04-22). Pompeo Joins House Republicans to Unveil Iran Sanctions Bill. news.antiwar.com Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo The legislation, titled
(2021-04-22). Do NGOs in the US and Spain Operate Without Rules? More Evidence of Double Standards for Venezuela. orinocotribune.com By Clodovaldo Hernandez — Apr 21, 2021 | US and Spanish authorities and media are "alarmed" by the rules Venezuela recently approved to regulate the operations of non-governmental organizations in its territory. It is an act of profound hypocrisy, because in the United States and Spain very strict laws apply regarding these supposedly independent and non-profit entities. | A cursory review of media such as La Voz de América or El País in Madrid reveals how the global media apparatus and officials from the US and Spain accuse Venezuelan government of persecuting and trying to destroy NGOs because it intends t…
(2021-04-21). UK Plot to Steal Venezuelan Gold Revealed. orinocotribune.com A conspiracy that took place in 2019 involving the former Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, and UK Minister of State for the Americas, Alan Duncan, with the intention of retaining the gold belonging to Venezuela held in the Bank of England (BofE), has been uncovered. | The information was disclosed by Bloomberg journalist Javier Blas, who recounted how, in a telephone conversation with Carney, Duncan presented him with legal arguments for denying that President Nicolás Maduro was the rightful president of Venezuela, and thus seizing the $2 billion worth of Venezuelan gold reserves in the Bank of Engla…
(2021-04-21). Putin Condemns Coup Attempts in Venezuela, Belarus, Ukraine. telesurenglish.net During his annual message to the Russian Federal Assembly, President Vladimir Putin recalled and condemned attempts to change governments by force in Belarus, Ukraine, and Venezuela. | RELATED: | He pointed out that the international community may have different opinions about Ukraine's former President Viktor Yanukovych or Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro. However, "the practice of staging coups, plans for…
(2021-04-21). Venezuela's Attorney General Requests Extradition of Leopoldo López from Spain. orinocotribune.com Venezuela's Public Ministry initiated a formal request to the kingdom of Spain to return Leopoldo López to Venezuela through an extradition process. This statement was made before the 5th Execution Court of the Metropolitan Area of Caracas, which sent the file to the Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice, according to its accounts. | The extradition request is related to López's alleged participation in Operation Gideón, a project aimed at overthrowing the government of President Nicolás Maduro, a judicial source said. This plan was launched on May 3, 2020, but…
(2021-04-21). The Saudi Lobby Moves From K Street to Main Street. counterpunch.org Princess Reema bint Bandar Al-Saud, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the U.S., was on the hot seat. In early March 2020, as the Covid-19 pandemic swept the world, oil prices collapsed and a price war broke out between Saudi Arabia and Russia, leaving American oil and gas companies feeling the pain. As oil prices plummeted, Republican
(2021-04-21). Amid Nuclear Talks, 40 Groups Urge Biden to Lift Sanctions on Covid-Ravaged Iran. commondreams.org "By prioritizing humanitarian relief for Iran and other sanctioned states, President Biden can follow through on his campaign commitment and demonstrate that the U.S. can be a force for global good." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2021-04-21). COVID-19 daily death toll in Iran at 388. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 21 (MNA) — The number of daily deaths from the coronavirus pandemic in Iran stood at 388 with the total death toll surpassed 67,910 on Wed.
(2021-04-21). 20,000 people to receive COVIran Barakat vaccine next week. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 21 (MNA) — The main researcher working on producing anti-Covid-19 vaccine dubbed COVIran Barakat said Wednesday that as many as 20,000 will start receiving the Iranian-made vaccine starting from next week.
(2021-04-21). Ramadan Brings No Relief for Yemen as Saudis Block Chairties and Turks Unleash Foreign Mercanaries. mintpressnews.com 
Just as it transferred mercenaries from Syria to the conflict zones in Libya and Azerbaijan, Turkey — the financial and spiritual capital of the Muslim Brotherhood — is now doing the same in Yemen's oil-rich Marib.
(2021-04-21). Sunday 4/25: San Francisco Caravan: Say NO to the U.S. Blockade of Cuba! indybay.org gather at 11: 30am at 1875 Marin Street, San Francisco…
(2021-04-21). Venezuela Secures Deal with UN's World Food Programme to Supply Food to 1.5 Million Children. venezuelanalysis.com The deal was welcomed by a wide array of political actors, including opposition leader Juan Guaidó and US officials.
(2021-04-21). 34 Taliban militants killed in Afghanistan: MoD statement. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 21 (MNA) —Afghanistan Ministry of Defense said on Wednesday that 34 Taliban fighters were killed and 10 others were wounded in clashes with government forces in the past 24 hours.
(2021-04-21). US Has No Moral Standing to Criticize Russia or China. counterpunch.org 
President Joe Biden and his Secretary of State Antony Blinken are worried about Russian Putin critic and presidential aspirant, currently in a Russian prison after conviction on charges of skipping bail and leaving the country and other charges, being abused and at risk of dying in jail. That threat may or may not be real,
(2021-04-21). San Antonio activists take on phony cop 'unions'. workers.org 
San Antonio — Black Lives Matter activists in San Antonio came out April 16 and 17 to demand an end to police killings of Black and Brown people, nationally and locally. The first demonstration, sponsored by the San Antonio Coalition for Police Accountability, Fix SAPD and others, was focused on . . . |
(2021-04-21). In Defense of the Revolution: Cuba's Historic Victory over Imperialism at Playa Girón. dissidentvoice.org 
"For progressives and anti-imperialists all over the world, the mention of the Bay of Pigs—known in the Spanish-speaking world as Playa Girón—evokes joy and celebration," wrote Carmelo Ruiz. "The United States, an empire accustomed to imposing itself even in the farthest corners of the world, could not prevail and enforce its will on an island …
(2021-04-21). Cuban unions build socialism. workers.org 
Member, Communication Workers Local 14156 What are the differences between unions in capitalist countries and socialist countries? What is labor's role in a socialist country? I first became a supporter of socialist Cuba as a labor activist in the San Francisco Bay Area, and I learned about Cuba's unions in . . . |
(2021-04-21). Communist Party of Cuba concludes 8th Party Congress with new elected leadership. peoplesdispatch.org 
During the four day congress, delegates discussed the key challenges facing the island-nation and who will be in charge of taking the country forward.
(2021-04-21). Caracas-Moscow: Conviasa's New Non-Stop Commercial Passenger Flight. orinocotribune.com 
Venezuela's National Institute of Civil Aeronautics (INAC) reported this Monday, April 18, through a statement, that during this week of radical quarantine defined by the National Executive, commercial air routes to various international destinations continue, including the Russian Federation as a new destination. The Russian embassy reported this first on March 25, when it announced the resumption of the direct route between Caracas and Moscow with a frequency of two flights per week. | The long-range route was approved by the Putin government and will be serviced by the Venezuelan state-owned airline, Conviasa.
(2021-04-21). PDVSA's Monómeros in Colombia may be Overproducing Urea for Pablo Escobar's 'Partners'. orinocotribune.com 
Venezuelan opposition deputy José Brito, president of the Special Committee appointed to investigate the events perpetrated by previous National Assembly board during the 2016-2020 term, determined that advanced investigations indicate that the Venezuelan company Monómeros, belonging to stated-owned Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), is used for the benefit of Colombian drug trafficking. | Monómeros, based in Colombia, and CITGO, based in the US, are among the assets seized by the United States government in collusion with former Venezuelan deputy Juan Guaidó in their failed 2019 attempt to oust the legitimate gover…
(2021-04-21). 'No good cops in a racist system'. workers.org 
By Anneliese Bienko Buffalo, N.Y. Buffalo's first anti-police demonstration of the year was held April 16. The action, called by Workers World Party, drew activists from across the left to demand police abolition and stand in solidarity with Minneapolis in the wake of Daunte Wright's murder. Speakers addressed the police . . . |
(2021-04-21). 'No good cops in a racist system'. workers.org By Anneliese Bienko Buffalo, N.Y. Buffalo's largest anti-police demonstration so far this year was held on April 16th. The action, called by Workers World Party, drew activists from across the left to demand police abolition and stand in solidarity with Minneapolis in the wake of Daunte Wright's murder. Speakers addressed . . . |
(2021-04-21). Saudi Crown Prince Supported Israeli "Scheme" For Jordan Coup: Report. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman allegedly backed an Israeli "scheme" to overthrow Jordanian King Abdullah II in exchange for the guardianship of al-Aqsa Mosque in the occupied Old City of Jerusalem. | Lebanon's Al Akhbar newspaper, quoting a Jordanian security official, said that the coup attempt against King Abdullah II was a "scheme" involving Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and the United States. | According to the unnamed official, Israel planned the…
(2021-04-21). Black Visions Collective: We Need to Abolish the Police & End Militarized Occupations of Our Cities. democracynow.org 
The police murder of George Floyd added jet fuel to a nationwide push to defund the police. We go to Minneapolis to speak with Kandace Montgomery, co-executive director of Black Visions Collective, about their response to the guilty verdict for former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd and an update on the push to divest from Minneapolis police and invest in communities.
(2021-04-21). We Need to Abolish the Police and End Militarized Occupations of Our Cities. truthout.org 
The police murder of George Floyd added jet fuel to a nationwide push to defund the police. We go to Minneapolis to speak with Kandace Montgomery, co-executive director of Black Visions Collective, about their response to the guilty verdict for former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd and an update on the push to divest from Minneapolis police and invest in communities. | TRANSCRIPT: | This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form. | AM…
(2021-04-21). Following the Chauvin verdict/Stay in the streets! Abolish the police! workers.org 
Workers World Party expresses its solidarity with the family of George Floyd, along with the Minneapolis community and anti-racist activists everywhere, who understandably applaud the three guilty verdicts against the racist, white, killer cop, Derek Chauvin, who wantonly lynched Floyd May 25, 2020. Chauvin was found guilty today, April 20, . . . |
(2021-04-21). Following the Chauvin verdict: Stay in the streets! Abolish the police! workers.org Workers World Party expresses its solidarity with the family of George Floyd, along with the Minneapolis community and anti-racist activists everywhere, who understandably applaud the three guilty verdicts against the racist, white, killer cop, Derek Chauvin, who wantonly lynched Floyd May 25, 2020. Chauvin was found guilty today, April 20, . . . |
(2021-04-21). Iran, Pakistan agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 22 (MNA) — Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation and regional coordination on Afghanistan, Palestine, multilateralism and fighting anti-Muslim bigotry.
(2021-04-21). ALBA-TCP Increases Aid to St. Vincent and the Grenadines. telesurenglish.net The Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA-TCP) is increasing its support to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines as the humanitarian Task Force "Simón Bolívar" assessed damages in the aftermath of the volcano eruption, the organization reported on Wednesday. | RELATED: | The regional bloc created a humanitarian bridge and sent a ship of the Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela with drinking water and other supplies…
(2021-04-21). Here's What the US Must Do to Help End Humanitarian Emergency in Yemen. commondreams.org Amanda Catanzano, International Rescue Committee's Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy, testified at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Yemen. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2021-04-21). 'Not Enough!' Climate Activists Disappointed With New EU Emissions Deal on Eve of Biden Summit. commondreams.org "This deal shows that Europe's climate action is all smoke and mirrors," said a Greenpeace E.U. campaigner. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2021-04-21). Yemen's Defense Ministry: Liberation of Ma'rib Closer Than Ever. orinocotribune.com Yemen's Defense Ministry says the Yemeni armed forces and allied Popular Committees fighters are set to encircle Ma'rib from the western and southern fronts in preparation for entering the strategic city. | Lebanon's al-Mayadeen television network on Monday cited the Sana'a-based ministry as saying that the armed forces are tightening their grip on al-Balaq al-Qebali mountain range, which overlooks the Ma'rib Dam to the north and Tala al-Hamra in Sarwah district to the west of Ma'rib. | The Yemeni forces have taken control of Homma al-Hajily district and moved the battle to al-Touma al-Olia and al-Touma al-Sofla,…